Does joining a fraternity impact my application?

[dnrich2007]

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I'm considering joining a fraternity. I really want to join one. I go to a Christian school, and everyone in the fraternities seems to be close friends. The cost is the only issue. While I have the money, I don't want to spend it unless it will make a significant difference. If I end up joining one, my budget will be stretched very thin. My desire to join a fraternity is not because I want it to improve my medical school application; however, my willingness to actually sacrifice that large amount of money is controlled by the effect that it will have on my medical school application. Will joining one play a major role in demonstrating my "well-roundedness", or will it not matter if I am involved in a fraternity or some other organization on campus? Gracias!

 

[ADeadLois]

It likely won't have an effect either way, unless you take some sort of significant leadership role in a philanthropic event.

 

[jr doctor in sd]

I'm very curious about this as well. My friend is in Pi Kappa Alpha and INSISTS that it will help him alot because he claims "one of the admissions people of ONE of the schools i apply to will DEFINITELY be a pike! so theyll take me right away" even though his cumulative is currently about a 2.75..

 

[ADeadLois]

I'm very curious about this as well. My friend is in Pi Kappa Alpha and INSISTS that it will help him alot because he claims "one of the admissions people of ONE of the schools i apply to will DEFINITELY be a pike! so theyll take me right away" even though his cumulative is currently about a 2.75..

Your friend is delusional.

 

[JaggerPlate]

To be honest, I've heard they are a negative thing. The reason for this is because ... well they are frats (they imply elephant walking, boozing all day, insert lame frat stereotype here ... etc etc.) I have just been told that adcoms look down on it unless you have some sort of leadership positions in the frat. HOWEVER, at a Christian school ... I don't think these issues would be a problem. (Disclaimer: this is just what I have been told, frats are beyond pathetic at my school and I have a really negative perspective on them.)

 

[ladyluck3]

it might elicit an eyeroll or a smirk, but that's pretty much it.

 

[ADeadLois]

To be honest, I've heard they are a negative thing. The reason for this is because ... well they are frats (they imply elephant walking, boozing all day, insert lame frat stereotype here ... etc etc.) I have just been told that adcoms look down on it unless you have some sort of leadership positions in the frat. HOWEVER, at a Christian school ... I don't think these issues would be a problem. (Disclaimer: this is just what I have been told, frats are beyond pathetic at my school and I have a really negative perspective on them.)

This is a myth. Frats are a perfectly legitimate college institution that have existed for centuries. Chances are someone on the adcom will have been in a fraternity or sorority. While it's unlikely to be much of a help if you're only a member, it will help someone with a significant leadership role.

 

[Bacchus]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=431668

There is a read that will definitely give you opinions.

 

[Quix]

Your friend is delusional.

I'd pay money to see the look of righteous indignation when he receives the rejection letter. Post-secondary. 😉

 

[Depakote]

Do what you want to do during college...

I was in a fraternity, my roommate was in a fraternity. I know several girls in my class that were in sororities. I'll bet this wasn't the deciding factor in our applications, but it clearly didn't keep us out.

You can take leadership roles, but if you don't want to, you don't have to use it on your medical school application.

As far as all the negative connotations about fraternities/sororities. This seems to be a lot of pre-med bravado. If every other aspect of your application looks good, I doubt they're going to reject you b/c of some stigma that "fraternities do ________"

 

[LikeClockWork]

Your friend is delusional.

I have to agree with this. I don't know where people get this idea of fraternities being a golden ticket into the stratosphere of business/medicine/law or whatever. I'm a Phi Tau, but there were guys in my chapter that I wouldn't really bend over backwards to help, much less get them a job they aren't qualified for. Beyond that, I would be even less likely to do it for someone I don't even know, just because they know a handshake.

Join a fraternity because you think it will make your undergrad experience better or more rewarding. Take leadership positions in it, or the interfraternity council, because you believe in the institutions and are trying to improve them. Don't join because you think it will impress adcoms or get you a free pass into school because it's just not true.

 

[senseiturtle]

In and of itself, joining one doesn't make a difference.

However, if you join one, and your grades go down... that indicates a lack of maturity, since they'll assume that you're partying too much.

If you join one and you get a leadership position within it, then it can help.


That crap they say about the fraternal bonds transcending generations and getting you "in" when all is equal... nope, doesn't work that way.... unless you're in some sort of skull & bones / scroll & key, etc.

 

[ssquared]

Join a fraternity because you think it will make your undergrad experience better or more rewarding. Take leadership positions in it, or the interfraternity council, because you believe in the institutions and are trying to improve them. Don't join because you think it will impress adcoms or get you a free pass into school because it's just not true.

I agree wholeheartedly. I wouldn't expect any Greek organization to really serve you all that well outside of your own college. Frankly, when I meet other women who were in my sorority, I don't suddenly feel all warm and fuzzy about them. I usually just say, "oh, that's nice."

That crap they say about the fraternal bonds transcending generations and getting you "in" when all is equal... nope, doesn't work that way.... unless you're in some sort of skull & bones / scroll & key, etc.

Well, joining the skulls is something else entirely. The least they could do for you is make you a doctor. 🙄

 

[jr doctor in sd]

I'd pay money to see the look of righteous indignation when he receives the rejection letter. Post-secondary. 😉

hahaha i tell him the same thing on almost a weekly basis. He still thinks he'll be fine...😳


I was wondering...on a similar note but kinda off topic..what are everyone's thoughts on joining a pre-med fraternity? we have one on campus and that might be another way to give back and do more community-involved fun stuff . The only thing i dont like is the quarterly fee...the university is already hurting the bank account so does anyone know or have any thoughts on its worth vs. the price paid to be in it?

 

[pakbabydoll]

Can you join a sorority in your junior year?

 

[skinnylindsay]

Can you join a sorority in your junior year?

It really depends on the school culture and the type of sorority you're looking to join. I joined my sorority as a junior, but on some campuses, you'd be out of luck if you weren't a freshman. On the other hand, it'd be very rare for a freshman to join a Divine 9 organization.

 

[Instatewaiter]

I don't know where people get this idea of fraternities being a golden ticket into the stratosphere of business/medicine/law or whatever.

DKE, KS, KA and PKA, to name a few, all have very strong national alumni connections. So while it prolly wont get you into med school you will come out with some strong business connections which could help.

As far as all the negative connotations about fraternities/sororities. This seems to be a lot of pre-med bravado.

I gotta agree here An adcom is not going to keep you out of school b/c of a frat/sorority. Imagine how many kids applying were greek. I am sure it is common on apps.

There are a lot of people in my class who were greek so apparently it doesnt hurt that much.

 

[DrBowtie]

DKE, KS, KA and PKA, to name a few, all have very strong national alumni connections. So while it prolly wont get you into med school you will come out with some strong business connections which could help.



I gotta agree here An adcom is not going to keep you out of school b/c of a frat/sorority. Imagine how many kids applying were greek. I am sure it is common on apps.

There are a lot of people in my class who were greek so apparently it doesnt hurt that much.

Psh! It's all about the Miami Triad.

Sigma Chi, Phi Delt, and Beta.

 

[LikeClockWork]

Psh! It's all about the Miami Triad.

Sigma Chi, Phi Delt, and Beta.

Fight the triad! Join the Non-Fraternity Association! (Which later became Phi Kappa Tau. We're hypocrites!)

(/undergrad meat-headed fraternalism)

 

[Depakote]

Psh! It's all about the Miami Triad.

Sigma Chi, Phi Delt, and Beta.

👍

 

[JaggerPlate]

Okay so ... I'm sorta glad there is a thread open about this subject right now because I have recently been offered a unique opportunity, and I'm looking for some advice about it. Basically, my girlfriend is the president of one of the bigger sororities at my school, and because of this she knows a lot of people on the IFC board and others of that sort. Basically, the other night she introduced me to some guy who serves on the board here and he is looking to bring back a frat to our school. He met me and told her a few hours later that he wanted me to be the person he used to like build this frat on. I would be one of the founding members of the frat, and have an unoffical guarantee to be the first president. I have never been big on greek life, but in this situation (because it would take a few years to really build it up) I really wouldn't be doing much besides recruitment, buttt I could put on my application that I was a founding member, and the first ever president of the chapter at my school. Worth it?? I don't want to just abuse it for an application, but I think it would be pretty fun to get to like form my own frat (kind of an Old School type thing) and I think it could look good on an application??

 

[DrBowtie]

Okay so ... I'm sorta glad there is a thread open about this subject right now because I have recently been offered a unique opportunity, and I'm looking for some advice about it. Basically, my girlfriend is the president of one of the bigger sororities at my school, and because of this she knows a lot of people on the IFC board and others of that sort. Basically, the other night she introduced me to some guy who serves on the board here and he is looking to bring back a frat to our school. He met me and told her a few hours later that he wanted me to be the person he used to like build this frat on. I would be one of the founding members of the frat, and have an unoffical guarantee to be the first president. I have never been big on greek life, but in this situation (because it would take a few years to really build it up) I really wouldn't be doing much besides recruitment, buttt I could put on my application that I was a founding member, and the first ever president of the chapter at my school. Worth it?? I don't want to just abuse it for an application, but I think it would be pretty fun to get to like form my own frat (kind of an Old School type thing) and I think it could look good on an application??

I did this exact thing and we will be chartering this semester. It's a unique opportunity, but I will warn you that it is a tremendous undertaking and will probably require 2+ years to really get going. PM me if you want more details about it.

 

[Depakote]

Okay so ... I'm sorta glad there is a thread open about this subject right now because I have recently been offered a unique opportunity, and I'm looking for some advice about it. Basically, my girlfriend is the president of one of the bigger sororities at my school, and because of this she knows a lot of people on the IFC board and others of that sort. Basically, the other night she introduced me to some guy who serves on the board here and he is looking to bring back a frat to our school. He met me and told her a few hours later that he wanted me to be the person he used to like build this frat on. I would be one of the founding members of the frat, and have an unoffical guarantee to be the first president. I have never been big on greek life, but in this situation (because it would take a few years to really build it up) I really wouldn't be doing much besides recruitment, buttt I could put on my application that I was a founding member, and the first ever president of the chapter at my school. Worth it?? I don't want to just abuse it for an application, but I think it would be pretty fun to get to like form my own frat (kind of an Old School type thing) and I think it could look good on an application??

That would be a good leadership role, but just be forewarned... these leadership roles take lots of time in established fraternities. If you are going to be starting your own chapter, you need to be willing and able to commit a lot of time and energy to get this off the ground. Can you do that and not sacrifice your coursework?